On a recent Reddit thread, a user asked if they were wrong for not sharing their inheritance money from their grandparents with their stepcousins.
They Planned to Give Their Money to Their Grandchildren
The Original Poster’s (OP) grandparents had always planned to sell their house and split the money among their grandchildren. They have three children: OP’s dad, aunt, and uncle, but only OP and her sister are their biological grandchildren.
OP’s uncle got married three years ago, and his wife already had three children from a previous relationship. Her children have made little effort to be a part of the family, and OP has never even met them.
Recently, the grandparents sold their house, and OP and her sister each received about $250,000.
The Money Was Put to Good Use
The money will be put to good use, with OP and her husband planning to use the money as a down payment on a larger house and to build their savings. Meanwhile, OP’s sister plans to pay off her student loans and save the rest.
However, OP’s uncle called her to say that his wife is upset because her children were not included in the distribution.
She believes that her children are also entitled to a share of the money since they are now considered the grandparents’ grandchildren.
The Step-Grandchildren Were Overlooked
The grandparents have left it up to the grandchildren to decide whether or not to share the money with their stepcousins.
OP is torn between her gratitude to her grandparents and her sense of fairness.
She understands that her grandparents wanted to distribute their wealth to their biological grandchildren, but she also recognizes that Aunt’s children are technically her grandparents’ grandchildren as well.
They Don’t Make Any Effort
However, the fact that the stepcousins have made little effort to be a part of the family makes it difficult for OP to decide what to do.
OP may consider having a frank conversation with her uncle’s wife to explain the situation and gauge her reaction. If she is understanding and appreciates the thoughtfulness of the gesture, then OP may feel more inclined to share the money with her children.
However, if her Aunt is still insistent that her children deserve a share, despite their lack of effort in building a relationship with the grandparents, then OP may feel more comfortable keeping the money within the biological family.
They’re Only In It for the Money
Many Reddit users agreed with OP’s stance. One wrote “They didn’t want anything to do with the grandparents until there was money involved…This is literally the consequences of their own actions, or inactions as it were, nothing more.”
Another wrote that OP shouldn’t feel pressure to share as her grandparents are still alive and could change their stance if they wanted to in the first place.
A highly popular comment simply said “While these are related by marriage, they are not an integral part of your relationship with you or your grandparents, whose decision it was to give the money to you. They aren’t owed anything.”
Is OP right to keep the money? Should she share the wealth with her stepcousins? What would you do?
The post Is She Wrong for Not Wanting to Share Her Grandparents Inheritance With Her “Cousins” Despite the Conflict It’s Caused first appeared on Mama Say What?!
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Source: Reddit